Wire fabric and method of making the same



Patented Aug. le, 193s UNITED STATES WIRE FABRIC AND` METHOD' OF `MAKING T'HEl SAME Raymond J. Guba, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Audubon Wire Cloth Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey `Application April 29, 1936, Serial No. `76,926 e claims. (c1. zas- 6)` My invention relates to belt structures of wire fabric comprising helically coiled wires arranged in interlccked and/or interconnected condition throughout the entire extent of the fabric transversely of the same, and it comprises animproved form of wire belt fabric in which pairs of `wires are associated with cross connector wires to which the free ends of the helically coiled wires are positively and, in some measure, permanently connected.

In the present instance my improved belt fabric is made up of pairs of Wires in unit formation; each unit 'comprising a pair of helically coiled wires and a cross connector rod or wire which extends longitudinally of said helically coiled Wires and transversely of the belt fabric; the cross connector wires lying in the bights of the interconnecting helices of the respective helically coiled wires of each unit pair.

The helically coiled wires may be of right or left hand twist as the case may be, and the free ends of the same which make up each unit pair are knuckled together at the marginal edges of the belt'fabric by coiling or wrapping the same together around the cross connector wires at a point adjacent to the ends of the latter; each free end of the helically coiled wires having complete turns around a cross connector Wire in juxtaposed relation. After this has been done, the extreme ends of the` cross connector Wires are given return bends which cross over the knuckled or wrapped free end portions of the helically coiled wires and lie in a plane intermediate the upper and lower surfaces of the helices of the coiled wires forming the belt fabric. Each helically coiled wire of each unit pair is directly connected in the usual interlaced relation with a wire of an adjacent unit pair throughout the entire extent of the belt fabric so that the cross connector Wires are disposed between every other set of bights ofthe helically coiled wires which make up the fabric.

These and other features of my invention are more fully described hereinafter; reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a section of helically coiled Wire fabric constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary edge view of wire fabric constructed in accordance with my invention; looking in the direction of the arrow a, Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary edge view illustrating the relation of the helically coiled wires after the belt fabric has been in use.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates a section of belt fabric forming the subject of my invention, made up ofv unit pairs of helically coiled wires indicated at l and 2. The helically coiled wires of each pair constituting a unit are interlaced or interconnected with each other in. the bights Ia and 2a of these helically coiled wires, cross connector rods or wires are introduced, as indicated at 3. The bights lb and 2b of the helically coiled wires of each pair opposite those engaged by the cross connector wires are in interconnected or interlaced relation with each other but without the interpositioning of cross connector rods or wires.

It is desirable in the making of wire belt fabric of this type to have the ends of the helically-V coiled wires knuckled together in such manner that theyY can withstand the wear to which the `edges of belt fabrics of this type are subjected cross connector wires adjacent to each free end of the latter; 'such twists including preferably one complete coil of the free end of each helically.

coiled wire. AAfter this knuckling or wrapping has been eected the extreme ends of the cross connector wires are bent back over the wrapped around portions of the free ends of the helically coiled wires, as indicated at 3a, and lie in a plane intermediate the upper and lower surfaces of the helices of the coiled wires making up the belt fabric, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, so as to offer noobstruction in such surfaces when passing over the belts or pulleys,v or in the carrying;

Vof articles placed on the surface of the belt.

In the initial formation of a belt of this type there will be a slight separation between the `bights lb' andv 2b of the helices of the respective Wires l and 2, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, which separation will be taken up when the belt fabric is in use, as indicated in Fig. 3. In the bights engaged by the cross connector rods or wires, there is no separation; the said cross connector wires or rods closely engaging the bights of the helices through which they are passed. There is therefore less stretch in a belt of this type than in a belt in which no cross connector wires or rods are employed. At the same time there is no transverse contraction of the belt and its complete flexibility is not impaired. By reason of the fact that the cross connector wires prevent or inhibit transverse contraction, the possibility of longitudinal stretch is further reduced.

The side edges of the belt fabric have greatly increased wear resistance by reason of the wrapping or twisting of the free ends of the helically coiled wires of the respective unit pairs thereof around the cross connector wires or rods and the presence of the return bends of the latter. In any event these return bends wear first and when the ends are completely worn the cross connector rods or wires may be replaced without affecting the wrapped connections provided by the free ends of said helically coiled wires and without impairing in any way the value of the belt fabric.

It will be understood, of course, that belt structures made up of my improved belt fabric may consist of sections of interconnected helically coiled wires of right-hand twist alternating with sections of interconnected helically coiled wires of left-hand twist throughout the full extent of the same; any suitable form of connection being employed to join the several lsections of belt fabric made up of the helically coiled wires of different twist, and that the improved form of cross connector rods or wires with their ends passing through and connected to the twisted or knuckled ends of the pairs of helically coiled wires with which they, are associated at the marginal edges of the belt fabric, will be employed with said several sections of different twist.

The drawing is largely diagrammatic and for illustrative purposes only. In practice the diagonal runs of the helices extending from the respective bights of the helically coiled wires will lie in actual or relatively close contact-much closer than illustrated-and particularly at the points where such bights are engagedV by the cross connector rods or wires.

Various modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved belt fabric Without departing from the spirit of my invention; all of which is deemed to be within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Belt fabric made up of a plurality of interconnected helically coiled Wires arranged in unit pairs with the opposite ends of said unit pairs of said wires connected together by intertwisting said ends, and cross connector wires or rods passing through the interconnecting bights only and the intertwisted ends of said connected pairs of helically coiled wires, each of said cross connector wires or rods having its ends reversely bent over said intertwisted ends of the unit pairs of wires at the marginal edges of the fabric.

2. Belt fabric made up of a plurality of helically coiled wires interconnected in unit pairs with their free ends coiled or intertwisted together at the marginal edges of the belt, and cross connector wires associated with said pairs of connected helically coiled wires; each of said cross connector wires passing entirely through the interconnecting bights only of said unit pairs of wires and their intertwisted ends and having each end reversely bent over said intertWisted ends and lying in planes intermediate the upper and lower surfaces of the belt fabric.

3. Belt fabric made up of helically coiled wires interconnected in unit pairs and having the ends of said unit pairs coiled or twisted together at the marginal edges of the belt, and cross connector wires associated with said unit pairs of helically coiled wires; each of said cross connector wires passing through the interconnected bights only and the twisted ends of the helically coiled unit pairs of wires and having its opposite ends bent over said twisted ends of the unit pairs of wires and lying in planes intermediate the upper and lower surfaces of the several helically coiled wires forming the belt fabric.

4. The method of making belt fabric of helically coiled wires, which comprises arranging said wires in interconnected relation; passing cross connector wires between the alternate interengaging bights only of pairs of said helically coiled wires; interconnecting adjacent pairs of wires; and bending the free ends of the cross connector wires or rods over the ends of the connected pairs of helically coiled wires at the marginal edges of the belt.

5. The method of making flexible belt fabric of helically coiled wires, which comprises arranging said wires in interconnected relation; passing cross connector wires between the alternate inter engaging bights only of pairs of said helically coiled wires; interconnecting adjacent pairs of wires; twisting the opposite ends of pairs of said helically coiled wires together and coiling them varound the free ends of the cross connector rods or wires, and bending the opposite ends of the cross connector wires or rods over the ends of the connected pairs of helically coiled wires at the marginal edges of the belt.

6. The method of making belt fabric of helically coiled wires, which comprises arranging said wires in interconnected relation; passing cross connector wires between the alternate interengaging bights only of4 pairs of said helically coiled wires; interconnecting adjacent pairs of helically coiled Wires; twisting the opposite ends of the pairs of helically coiled wires together and coiling them around the free ends of the cross connector rods or wires; reversely bending the opposite ends of the cross connector wires or rods over the ends of the connected pairs of helically coiled wires at the marginal edges of the fabric, 'I 

